get down

Meaning

This versatile phrasal verb has a few common casual meanings. It often means to make someone feel sad, depressed, or discouraged. In other informal contexts, it can mean to start focusing seriously on a task (usually 'get down to') or to dance energetically.

Examples

• Don't let this bad weather get you down.

  Don't let this bad weather get you down.

• All this bad news on television is starting to get me down.

  All this bad news on television is starting to get me down.

• We need to get down to business if we want to finish this project on time.

  We need to get down to business if we want to finish this project on time.

• The music was so energetic that everyone started to get down on the dance floor.

  The music was so energetic that everyone started to get down on the dance floor.

• It's time to stop playing video games and get down to studying.

  It's time to stop playing video games and get down to studying.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ This rain gets down me.

  ✓ This rain gets me down.

  When 'get down' means to make someone sad, the pronoun object (me, you, him, her) must go between 'get' and 'down'.

• ✗ Let's get down the work now.

  ✓ Let's get down to work now.

  When you want to start focusing on a task, you must use the preposition 'to' after 'get down'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We really need to ___ to work if we want to finish today.

  💡 start focusing seriously (followed by 'to')

  Show answer

  get down

• Don't let a minor setback ___ you ___.

  💡 make you feel sad or discouraged (split the verb)

  Show answer

  get down